The Spiritual Exercises
by St. Ignatius of Loyola
Pamplona, 1521. A cannonball shatters the leg of a Basque soldier named Ignatius of Loyola. Stuck in bed, he reads the lives of Christ and the saints, and he notices something. Some daydreams leave him restless and dry. Others leave him peaceful and alive. Out of that observation grew The Spiritual Exercises, the handbook behind the Jesuits.
Know this going in: the Exercises are less a book to read than a program to do, usually with a director. They're traditionally arranged in four “weeks.” The first reflects on sin and God's mercy. The second follows Christ in his life. The third stays with him in his Passion. The fourth rejoices in his Resurrection. Along the way Ignatius teaches imaginative prayer with the Gospels, the daily examen, and his rules for discerning spirits.
It suits people who want to go deeper in prayer, those facing big decisions, and catechists who want to understand Ignatian spirituality. Read alone, the text is a terse manual, and that's what it is. Ask about a guided retreat or a version of the Exercises spread over months of daily life.
Key Takeaways
- The four “weeks” of the Exercises.
- Imaginative prayer with the Gospels.
- The daily examen.
- Ignatius's rules for discerning spirits.
It is the retreat method behind Jesuit spirituality.
